A record turnout for Black Dog Ride's 1 Dayer at Dubbo has amplified the message of depression awareness and suicide prevention from city to country.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A total of 304 people united on motorcycles under the one banner, a strong visual and audible display of support for the cause.
They departed en masse from Dubbo for Narromine and Collie before continuing on to Armatree, all riding in solidarity with those who are shadowed by the black dog of depression.
Black Dog Ride, a national mental health charity, reports eight Australians take their lives each day.
Black Dog Ride Dubbo coordinator Wayne Amor is among the organisation's volunteers working to prevent tragedy.
He said the suicide prevention project would kickstart conversations about a tough topic and provide hope to communities, encouraging people living with depression to seek assistance.
He told participants gathered on Sunday morning they were now all part of the Black Dog Ride family.
Among the crowd was a contingent from Tamworth.
Richard and Robyn Procter of Moonbi were at the Dubbo event for the first time.
Mrs Procter said they came to support Black Dog Ride and "because it's our own mental health awareness", and to support their local Black Dog Ride coordinator.
The Armatree community was making the most of the visit, organising a market day featuring 15 stallholders.
Armatree Hotel publican Ash Walker told the Daily Liberal the anticipated arrival of the riders was exciting.
"It's great they're out supporting Black Dog, mental health and suicide awareness and prevention and it's great they can come and support a small community like Armatree," he said.
Coming as the long drought's impacts continued to be felt, Mr Walker said the Black Dog Ride visit was "uplifting" and he offered thanks to Mr Amor and his team.
"It goes to show our bigger regional centres care about us as a smaller regional area," Mr Walker said.
"So much of what we do here as a business is actually done through businesses at Dubbo... I think there's a lot of love within the community, really, and we're sharing it about.
"We're just hoping we get a good crowd, and by the feel of it already, I think we're on the way."